Liquid Crystals
Experimental Study of Physical Properties and Phase Transitions

This 2001 book provides hands-on details of several important techniques for the study of liquid crystals.

Satyendra Kumar (Edited by)

9780521187947, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 April 2011

518 pages
24.4 x 17 x 2.6 cm, 0.82 kg

Review of the hardback: 'The book is a remarkable work that is especially well suited to the needs of advanced graduate students familiar with the basics of condensed matter physics and the structural aspects of materials science … It is comprehensive, judicious in its choices and the style is crisp and concise … sufficiently comprehensive to serve as a starting point for anyone who wants to learn about the state of the art in liquid crystal physics … the book I show to students first is Kumar's.' Optics & Photonics News Christian Brosseau

Originally published in 2001, this book describes in detail various experimental techniques used in the study of liquid crystals. It will be indispensable for established workers in the field as well as students embarking on liquid crystal research. Each chapter in the book is dedicated to an important experimental technique used in the study and characterisation of liquid crystalline systems. Use of these techniques on liquid crystals requires modifications of traditional experiments, special sample handling and a fresh a approach to data analysis. In addition, general routes used to synthesise liquid crystals and tools to characterise liquid crystal phases are described. Attempts are also made to show structure property relationships for well known systems. This book will be of particular interest to graduate students in physics and chemistry as well as established researchers in the fields of liquid crystals and soft condensed matter.

1. Introduction S. Kumar and M. Fisch
2. Characterisation of mesophase types and transitions M. Neubert
3. Structure: X-ray diffraction studies of liquid crystals S. Kumar
4. Physical properties P. Photinos
5. Orientational order - NMR studies P. Ukleja and D. Finotello
6. Light scattering and quasi-elastic spectroscopy J. T. Ho
7. Calorimetric studies C. W. Garland
8. Freely suspended films experiments J. D. Brock
9. X-ray surface scattering studies of liquid crystals S. K. Sinha
10. Chemical structure-property relationships M. E. Neubert.

Subject Areas: Inorganic chemistry [PNK], Condensed matter physics [liquid state & solid state physics PHFC]